Okoya Family and Green Birch Locked in Bitter Property Battle

The long-standing dispute over a prime Lekki property located at 96 Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, involving billionaire industrialist Chief Razaq Okoya, his wife Chief (Mrs.) Shade Okoya, and property management firm Green Birch Limited, has taken a charged turn. The feud centers on 16 units of 3-bedroom apartments leased by RAO Investment Property Company Ltd, owned by the Okoya family, to Green Birch.

On October 15, 2025, the Okoyas publicly refuted circulating allegations, calling them “fictitious stories and malicious fabrications.” They insisted that Green Birch’s lease expired in June 2024 and that a Lagos High Court ruling in February 2025 rightfully ordered Green Birch to vacate the property and settle outstanding arrears. The Okoyas rejected claims of loan dealings with Senator Domingo Obende’s Dajo Oil Nigeria Limited, who controversially claims possession of the property’s original Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), describing the loan story as “untrue” and a “malicious fabrication.” They have accused the senator and Chief Okoya’s former wife of conspiring to undermine their interests.

In a fierce rebuttal to the Okoyas’ statement, Green Birch Limited accused the industrialist family of “twisting facts, deceiving the public, and wielding intimidation to oppress a smaller company that sought only fairness and justice.” Green Birch emphasized that after restoring the neglected property into modern residential units, the Okoyas responded with threats, using hired thugs and police rather than amicable negotiations. The company alleges it endured harassment and physical intimidation targeted at forcing them out.

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Green Birch criticized the Okoyas for sending letters to tenants urging them to stop paying rent to Green Birch, while the Okoyas themselves started collecting rent directly from some tenants—a move described by Green Birch as a deliberate attempt to fracture their operations. The company maintains that their legal battle is ongoing, having appealed the court judgment after switching legal representation, and vowed to persist in pursuit of the rule of law.

Adding complexity, Green Birch distanced itself from the loan dispute involving Senator Obende and stated that this issue is between the Okoyas and Dajo Oil alone. They urged public and authorities to view this case as emblematic of broader systemic inequities in Nigeria’s real estate market, warning against the abuse of power by influential personalities.

Observers note that this dispute between one of Nigeria’s wealthiest families and a smaller property management firm highlights critical concerns around justice, fairness, and the influence of wealth and power in property ownership conflicts in Nigeria.

As the legal wrangling and public sparring continue, the Okoyas are yet to respond to Green Birch’s new allegations, leaving the saga unresolved and under close scrutiny.